Titel

1. Titel From Fantasy to Action Gabriele Oettingen New York University/University of Hamburg

2. Positive Thinking is Positive: Self-Help Literature Norman Vincent Peale The Power of Positive Thinking (1985-1994) Napoleon Hill Success of Positive Thinking (2005)Mathias Matuschka The Happy-End Universe (2004)Annemarie Trixner (2003) Be Happy, You will Succeed!

3. Overview Overview Expectation versus Fantasy Mental Contrasting of Fantasy and Reality Intervention and Individual Differences

4. Positive Thinking:Expectations versus Fantasies

5. Expectations versus Fantasies Expectations: Probability judgments Fantasies: Free thoughts

6. James citation 1 Everyone knows the difference between imagining a thing and believing in its existence, between supposing a proposition and acquiescing in its truth. James, 1890, p. 283

7. Positive Expectations Positive Expectations … reflect past success … signal that acting is worthwhile and necessary … predict more motivation

8. Positive Fantasies Positive Fantasies … independent of past success … fail to signal that action is worthwhile and necessary … predict less motivation

9. Entering Professional Life

10. Expectation (Entering professional life) Expectation 1 + 2 (Hip Replacement) How probable do you think it is that you’ll find an adequate position in your field? very probable not at all probable 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11. Example (Entering professional life) Work in a biochemical laboratory  After my graduation a member of the research group is leaving, the vacant position gets advertised, and I succeed to take over the position due to my achievements in the past and my ability to fit in.

12. .50 .40 .30 .20 .10 .0 -.10 -.20 -.30 -.40 -.50 Datenfolie Entering Professional Life as Predicted by Expectation and Fantasy Data (Entering professional life) Number of Applications Amount of Salary Number of Job Offers p<.001 p< . 05 .33 .41 Partial Correlation Coefficient -.04 -.29 -.39 -.40 p< .05 p< .01 p< .01 Expectation Oettingen & Mayer (2002, Study 1). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83, 1198-1212. Fantasy

13. Recovery from Hip Replacement Surgery

14. Expectation 1+2 (Recovery) How likely do you think it is, that 2 weeks after surgery you will be able to go for a brief walk using an assistive cane? Expectation 1 + 2 (Hip Replacement) not at all likely very likely 1 2 3 4 5 How likely do you think it is, that 2 weeks after surgery you will be walking on stairs up and down with the help of an assistive cane? not at all likely very likely 1 2 3 4 5

15. Positive Fantasy (Recovery) At the end of your hospital stay you want to buy a newspaper in the hospital shop ... Iam walking on the stair-ways downwards without help, and I walk easily and quickly to the newspaper stand. How positive were these thoughts or images? not at all positive very positive 1 2 3 4 5 How negative were these thoughts or images? not at all negative very negative 1 2 3 4 5

16. Negative Fantasy (Recovery) At the end of your hospital stay you want to buy a newspaper in the hospital shop ... I am trying to walk to the door first, using my cane. But how shall I open the door? Uh, and then walking until the elevator? How would I ever do it? How positive were this thoughts or images? not at all positive very positive 1 2 3 4 5 How negative were this thoughts or images? not at all negative very negative 1 2 3 4 5

17. Data (Hip Replacement) .50 .40 .30 .20 .10 .0 -.10 -.20 -.30 -.40 -.50 Recovery from Hip Replacement Surgery as Predicted by Expectation and Fantasy General Recovery Walking on Stairs Hip Joint Motion p< . 01 p< .05 p< .05 .30 .37 .27 Partial Correlation Coefficient -.36 -.43 -.31 p< .05 p< .01 p< .001 Expectation Oettingen & Mayer (2002, Study 4). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83, 1198-1212. Fantasy

18. Supportive Evidence Academic achievement Academic/ vocational: Professional achievement Obesity Health: Chronic disease: Asthma, Colitis, Cancer Hip replacement surgery Interpersonal relations: Finding a romantic partner Mental contrasting

19. Findings are Replicated Across Different Replicated Findings Age groups Domains Cultures Measures of Fantasy Measures of Motivation & Success Mental contrasting

20. Turning Fantasies into Goals:Mentally Contrasting Fantasies with Reality

21. Mental Contrasting (Model) Mental Contrasting Strong Goal Setting Positive Future Mental Contrasting Expectations are Activated No Goal Setting NegativeReality Oettingen (2000). Social Cognition, 18, 101-129.

22. Indulging (Model) Indulging Positive Future Moderate Goal Setting Expectations are not Activated Indulging Oettingen (2000). Social Cognition, 18, 101-129.

23. Dwelling (Model) Dwelling Moderate Goal Setting Expectations are not Activated Dwelling Negative Reality Oettingen (2000). Social Cognition, 18, 101-129.

24. Typical Experiment Typical Experiment • Independent Variables • Measure: Expectations • Manipulate: Goal-setting strategies • Dependent Variables • Goal commitment and achievement

25. Exemplary Experiment: Interpersonal Concern Exemplary Experiment: Interpersonal Concern

26. Concern (Interpersonal Concern) Interpersonal Concern improve relationship to partner get to know better someone I like get along with my mother

27. Expectation (Interpersonal Concern) How likely do you think it is that the named problem will have a happy ending? 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

28. Aspects of positive future (Interpersonal Concern) Aspects of Positive Future not being lonely anymore feelings of being loved feelings of being needed

29. Aspects of negative reality (Anliegen) Aspects of Negative Reality feelings of insecurity feelings of unattractiveness being too emotional

30. Inducing the Three Self-Regulation Strategies of Goal-Setting

31. Mental Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 1 Write down on the line below the second positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. feelings of being loved Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future 

32. Mental Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 2 Write down on the line below the second negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . feelings of unattractiveness Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future  Negative Reality 

33. Mental Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 3 Write down on the line below the first positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. not being lonely anymore Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future  Positive Future  Negative Reality 

34. Mental Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 4 Write down on the line below the first negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . feelings of insecurity Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future  Positive Future  Negative Reality  Negative Reality 

35. Indulging Establishing Indulging 1 Write down on the line below the fourth positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. being well-balanced Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future 

36. Indulging Establishing Indulging 2 Write down on the line below the third positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. feelings of being needed Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future  Positive Future 

37. Indulging Establishing Indulging 3 Write down on the line below the second positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. feelings of being loved Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future  Positive Future  Positive Future 

38. Indulging Establishing Indulging 4 Write down on the line below the first positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. not being lonely anymore Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Positive Future  Positive Future  Positive Future  Positive Future 

39. Dwelling Establishing Dwelling 1 Write down on the line below the fourth negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . being too funky Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality 

40. Dwelling Establishing Dwelling 2 Write down on the line below the third negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . being too emotional Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality  Negative Reality 

41. Dwelling Establishing Dwelling 3 Write down on the line below the second negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . feelings of unattractiveness Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality  Negative Reality  Negative Reality 

42. Dwelling Establishing Dwelling 4 Write down on the line below the first negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . feelings of insecurity Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality  Negative Reality  Negative Reality  Negative Reality 

43. Reverse Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 2 Write down on the line below the second negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . feelings of unattractiveness Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality 

44. Reverse Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 1 Write down on the line below the second positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. feelings of being loved Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality  Positive Future 

45. Reverse Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 4 Write down on the line below the first negative aspect of reality that stands in the way of your interpersonal concern having a happy ending . feelings of insecurity Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality  Negative Reality  Positive Future 

46. Reverse Contrasting Establishing Mental Contrasting 3 Write down on the line below the first positive aspect that you associated with your interpersonal concern having a happy ending. not being lonely anymore Now really think about this aspect. Imagine the relevant events and experiences as vividly as possible! Let your mind go! Do not hesitate to give your fantasies free reign. Negative Reality  Negative Reality  Positive Future  Positive Future 

47. Feeling energized (Interpersonal Concern) Interpersonal Concern Feeling Energized 7 6 5 Mental contrasting Indulging in positive future 4 Dwelling on negative reality Control group 3 2 1 Oettingen, Pak & Schnetter (2001, Study 3). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 736-753. High Expectation Low Expectation

48. Immediacy of action (Interpersonal Concern) Interpersonal Concern Immediacy of Action 0 3 6 Mental contrasting Indulging in positive future 9 Dwelling on negative reality Control group 12 15 18 Oettingen, Pak & Schnetter (2001, Study 3). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80, 736-753. High Expectation Low Expectation

49. Exemplary Experiment: Improving in Mathematics

50. Expectation (Mathematics) How likely do you think it is that you will improve in mathematics? very unlikely very likely 12345